Don Quijote

For Japanese snacks, beauty products, or weird souvenirs, there’s no better place than discount store chain Don Quijote to buy the things you need - or never knew you needed. At the Akihabara branch, there’s even a maid cafe and arcade to keep you occupied after shopping.

Don Quijote is a discount store chain instantly recognizable by its mascot - the adorably kooky blue penguin above its doors. There are branches all over Tokyo, but one of the most interesting Don Quijote branches to visit is their Akihabara location.

In a country where shops and restaurants tend towards specializing in a single genre, Don Quijote opts for stocking anything and everything under the sun. You’ll find basic groceries and condiments, but also snacks, beauty products from suncream to perfume, toys, exercise equipment, socks, sex toys, and mobile phone accessories. Don Quijote is where you’ll discover things you want, but also plenty you didn’t know you wanted or needed.

This is a great place to pick up KitKats in bulk for your acquaintances back home, or dozens of socks for all your nieces and nephews. Boxes of eye masks that heat up when you put them on are extremely popular with tourists. Alternatively, you could just wander around and gawk at all the weirdness on display.

The Akihabara branch is the only one with a special cosplay costume section, so if you’d like to try dressing up as your favorite anime character, this might be a good place to find the right clothes. It’s definitely better for newbies rather than experienced cosplayers.

True to the Akihabara area, the fifth floor of the Don Quijote building has a maid cafe - At Home Cafe - which is one of the more foreigner-friendly maid cafes in the area. If that’s not your cup of tea, entertain yourself at the arcade instead.

Check Tokyo Hotel Availability

Destination

Check-in date

Check-out date

English name:
Don Quijote

Japanese name:
ドン・キホーテ

English address:
4-3-3 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0021

Japanese address:
〒101-0021 東京都千代田区外神田4-3-3

Opening hours:
9am-5am

Price:

Nearest Transport:
Subway: 3-minute walk from exit 1 of Suehirocho Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza line.
Train: 4-minute walk from the Electric Town exit of Akihabara Station on the JR Yamanote and Sobu lines.

Japan Travel Guides

Disclosure: TrulyTokyo.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and amazon.co.uk.